Denture impression tray



June 23, 1959 R. l. wooD 2,891,311

' DENTURE mpmzssxon TRAY Filed April 5, 1957 INVENTOR. 2055427 1. W000,

ATTOZ/VEVS.

2,891,311 Patented June 23, 1959 United States Patent @fifice 2,891,311 DENTURE IMPRESSION TRAY Robert 1. Wood, Sturgis, s. Dak. Application April 5, 1957, Serial No. 650,892

6 Claims. (CI. 32-17) This invention relates to pression trays. v

The primary object of the invention is to provide more practical, efficient, and easily usable devices of this kind which have improved valve means providing for escape from the interiors of the trays of excess impression-taking material during the taking of impressions, the valve means having their escape openings or port means located in forward parts of the trays, so that excess material can be readily removed as it emerges from the port means or openings so as to avoid accumulation thereof in the mouth of a patient.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure l is a bottom plan view of an upper denture impression tray incorporating the features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken substantially on the plane of line 22 of Figure 1, showing in dotted lines a displaced position of the valve element;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a lower denture impression tray incorporating the features of the invention;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the tray of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary and inverted vertical transverse section taken substantially on the plane of line 5-5 of Figure 3, showing in dotted lines a displaced position of the valve element.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first to Figures 1 and 2, the illustrated upper denture impression tray, indicated generally at 10, which is constructed of any suitable material, comprises a tray portion 12 having a raised transversely and longitudinally curved central portion 14, which substantially conforms to the palate of a mouth of which an impression is to be made. The central portion 14 curves longitudinally and upwardly from the bottom of the tray portion 12 to the rear edge 15 of the portion 14, which is substantially on a level with the top of the tray portion 12. The side edges and the front edge of the central portion 14 merge into longitudinally curved and divergent trough portions 16, which has bottom walls 24 and outer side walls 18, and are shaped to receive related gum structure. A fiat longi tudinal handle portion 20 projects forwardly from the front ends of the bottom walls of the trough portions 16.

In the bottom wall 25 which is common to the bottom Walls 24 of the two trough portions 16, I provide a single, preferably triangular opening 22, whose apex is directed forwardly and is centered with respect to the trough portions 16 and with respect to the raised portion 14 and located forwardly of said raised portion 14.

The bottom of the wall portion 25 around the opening 22 is triangularly recessed, as indicated at 29, so as improvements in denture imto define a shoulder extending around the opening 22. Normally seated in the recess 27 and engaged with the shoulder 29, is a triangular plate valve 28. The valve 28 is hinged to the tray portion 12 by a strip 26 of flexible material, which has one end secured to the underside of the rear end of the raised portion 14 and another end secured to the underside of the valve 28 at the rearward or base end thereof, so that the valve 28 can be hingedly displaced from the closed position shown in solid lines to the downwardly and rearwardly displaced position shown in phantom lines in Figure 2; so that excess impression-taking material present in the tray portion 12 can escape through the opening 22, as an impression is being taken. Because of the form of and the forward location of the valve means constituted by the opening 22 and the valve 28 excess material thus extruded can be easily removed by the dentist at the front of the mouth of a patient, without disturbing the tray 10 or inconveniencing the patient.

The lower denture impression tray shown in Figures 3 to 5, and indicated generally at 30, comprises a U-shaped tray body 32 having rearwardly divergent trough portions 36 having bottom walls 34, outer side walls 40, and inner side walls 38, and a fiat longitudinal handle 48 projecting forwardly from a bottom wall portion 41 common to the trough bottom walls 34.

In forward portions of the outer side walls 48 are formed ports or openings 42 which are spaced from the upper and lower edges of the outer side walls and from the forward ends thereof through which excess impression-taking material can escape while an impression is being made.

Mounted on the outer sides of the outer side walls 40 by means of adhesive strips 44 are depending valve plates 46, which overlie and normally close the openings 42, and enable the valve plates 46 to be hingedly displaced from closed positions, as shown in phantom lines in Figure 5, by the pressure of impression-taking material forced through the openings 42.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A denture impression tray comprising a tray portion having rearwardly divergent trough portions having outer side walls, inner side walls, and bottom walls, said bottom walls terminating at their forward ends in a flat bottom wall portion common to said bottom walls, a forwardly projecting handle on said bottom wall portion, and excess valve means on said tray portion in the region of the forward ends of the troughs, said valve means being located in said flat bottom wall portion.

2. A denture impression tray comprising a tray portion having rearwardly divergent trough portions having outer side walls, inner side walls, and bottom walls, said bottom walls terminating at their forward ends in a flat bottom wall portion common to said bottom walls, a forwardly projecting handle on said bottom wall portion, and excess valve means on said tray portion in the region of the forward ends of the troughs, said valve means being located in said flat bottom wall portion, and said bottom wall portion has thereon an opening and has in its underside a recess larger than and spacedly surrounding said opening, said excess defining a shoulder surrounding said opening, a plate valve normally seated in said recess and engaging, said; shoulder and closing said opening, and

and excess valve meansonzsaid tray portion in the region,

of the. forward: ends.- of ,the; troughs, said valve means be,- ingzlocatedrin' said flatbottom walliportion, and said bottom wall; portion has thereon an opening and has in its underside; a recess larger than and spacedly surrounding said: opening; said excess defining a shoulder surrounding said opening, a plate; valve-normally'seatedin said recess and engaging said shoulder and closing said opening, and hingemeans mounting the valve on the tray portion, said hinge means. consisting: of a; flexible: stripv secured at one end, to the, underside. of'the; valve plate and at its other end to the underside of-the, tray portion.

4. A; denture impression tray comprising a tray portion havingrearwardlydivergent trough portions having outer side walls, inner side walls, and bottom walls, said bottom walls, terminating, at; their forward ends in a flat bottom wall portion common to said bottom Walls, a forwardly projecting handle on said bottom wall portion, and excess valve means on said trayportion in the region of the forward ends of the troughs, said valve means being located in said flat bottom, wall, portion, and said bottom wall portion has thereon an opening and has in itsxunderside a recesslargerthan and spacedly surrounding said opening, said excess defining a shoulder surrounding said opening; a plate valve normally seated in said recess and engaging said shoulder and closing said opening,,and hinge means mounting the valve on the tray portion, said hinge means consisting of a flexible strip secured at one end to the underside of the valve plate and atits other end to. the underside of the tray portion, said tray portion comprising, a raised portion extending between said trough portions, said other end of the strip being secured to the underside of said raised portion.

5. A denture impression tray comprising a tray portion having rearwardly divergent trough. portions havingouter side walls, inner side Walls, and bottom walls, said bottom walls terminating at their forward ends in a flat bottom wall portion common to said bottom walls, a forwardly projecting handle on said bottom wall portion, and excess valve means on said tray portion in the region of the forward ends of the troughs, said valve means being located in said flat bottom wall portion, said tray portion further comprising a raised portion extending between said trough portions; and, located rearwardly of said common flat bottom portion.

6. A denture impression tray comprising a tray portion having rearwardly divergent trough portions having outer side walls, inner side walls, and bottom walls, said bottom walls terminating at their forward ends in a flat bottom wall portion common to said bottom walls, a forwardly projecting handle on said bottom wall portion, and excess valve means on said tray portionin the region of the forward ends of the troughs, said valve means consisting of single valveslocated in forward portions of each of said outer side walls, the tray portion being otherwise devoid of valve means, each of said valves-consisting of a port in the related outer side wall, a plate valve mounted on the outer side of the side Wall and normally closing the related port, and means hinging the plate valve on the side wall in apendent position, aflexible strip adhered to the outer side of the related sidewall above the plate valve and adhered to the outer side of the plate valve.

References Cited in thefileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 913.054 Robbins Feb. 23, 1909.- 2,096,3;i Jones May 19, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS said means comprising" Great Britain Feb. 4', 1935 

